Hall of Justice (studio)

The Hall of Justice is a recording studio in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The triangular-shaped building, which has changed ownership and purpose throughout its century-old history, has functioned as a studio for rock bands since the 1970s. The windowless, unassuming space has been home to the recordings of albums by seminal indie rock bands, including Nirvana, Soundgarden, Death Cab for Cutie, Fleet Foxes, the Decemberists, Sleater-Kinney, Built to Spill, Modest Mouse, and more.

Hall of Justice Recording
The building pictured in 2017.
Address4230 Leary Way NW
LocationSeattle, Washington
Opened1976 (as Triangle)
1986 (as Reciprocal)
1991 (as Word of Mouth)
1993 (as John & Stu's)
2000 (as Hall of Justice)

Originally a produce stand, the building was first opened as a studio under the name Triangle Recording between 1976–86. Later, the studio first became popularly known as a partial birthplace of grunge, with countless early acts of the genre utilizing the space, then widely known as Reciprocal Recording (1986–91). After several years as John & Stu's, the studio has more or less been operated by musician and producer Chris Walla under its current name since 2000.

History
The building as an antique store in the 1970s.

Early history

The complex first opened as a produce stand in 1911. It served as a retail location for most of the twentieth century, and was vacant by the 1970s.[1] Jack Weaver purchased the space and named it Triangle Recording in 1976, recording a series of 7"s by bands like Pell Mell and the Blackouts.[2]

Chris Hanzsek and Jack Endino moved into the space in June 1986, renaming the studio Reciprocal Recording. The studio became famously responsible for all but inventing the grunge movement; Soundgarden and Nirvana recorded early demos at the studio, with the latter completing its debut album Bleach (1989) at Reciprocal.[3] Hanzsek left the space in 1991,[4] while engineer Rich Hinklin continued on, renaming the complex Word of Mouth. In 1993, the space was renamed again to John & Stu's,[5] named after producers John Goodmanson and Stuart Hallerman.[6] Goodmanson, Hallerman, and Phil Ek utilized the space to track dozens of bands, including Sleater-Kinney, Harvey Danger, Built to Spill, and Modest Mouse.

Recent years

In 2000, in partnership with Barsuk Records, musician and producer Chris Walla began overseeing the space.[7] Walla began working as a producer with Nada Surf, Hot Hot Heat, and the Decemberists,[8] as well as with his main project Death Cab for Cutie, with whom he recorded Transatlanticism (2003). Death Cab took over the lease in 2004, and used the band as a practice space for four years. In 2010, Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes took over the complex, reverting it to it former name Reciprocal.[9] A writer for Spin described the space in a 2011 cover story: "The windowless exterior was once painted brown, but the color has faded and flecked off. Cracked shingles curl up off the roof, and inside the studio, tattered walls and well-worn carpeting give it all the charm of an abandoned church basement."[10]

Walla returned to the studio in 2011,[5] and oversaw an extensive renovation of the space.[11] Walla has continued to record bands in the space, including Lo Moon,[12] the Paper Kites,[13] and Ratboys.[14]

Discography
Nirvana recorded their first album, 1989's Bleach at the studio.
Death Cab for Cutie used the studio as a practice and recording space, including for Transatlanticism (2003).
Sleater-Kinney made their first two albums when it was John & Stu's.
Fleet Foxes briefly oversaw the space and reverted to its former name between 2010–11.
More recent artists to utilize the space include Ratboys.
Year Artist Album
1987 Green River Dry as a Bone[15]
Soundgarden Screaming Life[16]
1989 Mudhoney Mudhoney[17]
Nirvana Bleach[3]
Screaming Trees Buzz Factory[18]
Tad God's Balls[19]
1994 Built to Spill There's Nothing Wrong with Love[20]
1996 Low The Curtain Hits the Cast[21]
1997 Blonde Redhead Fake Can Be Just as Good[22]
Harvey Danger Where Have All The Merrymakers Gone?[23]
Modest Mouse The Lonesome Crowded West[24]
Sleater-Kinney Dig Me Out[25]
2000 Sleater-Kenney All Hands on the Bad One[26]
2001 Death Cab for Cutie The Photo Album[27]
2002 Carissa's Wierd Songs About Leaving[28]
Hot Hot Heat Knock Knock Knock[29]
The Long Winters The Worst You Can Do Is Harm[30]
2003 Death Cab for Cutie Transatlanticism[31]
The Postal Service Give Up[32]
The Thermals More Parts per Million[33]
2005 Death Cab for Cutie Plans[7]
The Decemberists Picaresque[34]
Nada Surf The Weight Is a Gift[35]
2011 Fleet Foxes Helplessness Blues[10]
2017 Great Grandpa Plastic Cough[36]
Minus the Bear Voids[37]
2018 Lo Moon Lo Moon[12]
2019 Great Grandpa Four of Arrows[38]
Pedro the Lion Phoenix[39]
2020 Deep Sea Diver Impossible Weight[40]
2021 Kississippi Mood Ring[41]
2023 Ratboys The Window[14]

References
  1. "History – Hall of Justice Recording Studio". Hall of Justice Recording Studio. September 10, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  2. "Triangle Recording". Discogs. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  3. Crane, Larry (November 27, 1999). "Jack Endino". Tape Op Magazine. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  4. "The Age of Innoncents" (PDF). Billboard. September 17, 2011. p. 16.
  5. Gaar, Gillian G. (2018-11-20). World Domination. BMG Books. ISBN 978-1-947026-19-3.
  6. "Reciprocal Recording: The Story of a Recording Studio". Revolution Come and Gone. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  7. "Death Cab, Full Speed Ahead". Washington Post. October 21, 2005. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  8. Greenwald, Andy (April 10, 2004). "Bright Lights, Big City". Spin. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  9. "Phil Ek: Recording Fleet Foxes' Helplessness Blues". Sound On Sound. August 1, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  10. Peisner, David (April 11, 2011). "Fleet Foxes & The Year's Most Beautiful Album". Spin. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  11. Appleford, Steve (September 9, 2012). "Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla on the Obama Campaign and Solo Album". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  12. Murphy, Tom (February 13, 2017). "Lo Moon's Arresting Pop Songs Come From Patience and Meditation". Westword. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  13. "Kites fly a second album on no sleep". The West Australian. August 27, 2015. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  14. Brodsky, Rachel (June 6, 2023). "Ratboys Share New Song "It's Alive!": Listen". Stereogum. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  15. Deming, Mark. "Green River - Dry as a Bone Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  16. "Soundgarden's 1990 compilation Screaming Life/Fopp reissued by Sub Pop". Consequence. October 1, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  17. Freeman, Phil (August 1, 2018). "The Grunge Era Kicked Off 30 Years Ago Today". Stereogum. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  18. Fennessy, Kathleen C. "Screaming Trees - Buzz Factory Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  19. "Tad – God's Balls (1989, Gatefold, Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  20. Bush, John. "Built to Spill - There's Nothing Wrong with Love Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  21. Abebe, Nitsuh. "Low - The Curtain Hits the Cast Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  22. Rabid, Jack. "Blonde Redhead - Fake Can Be Just as Good Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  23. Kent-Abbott, David. "Harvey Danger - Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  24. Swayze, Scott (February 17, 2022). "An Inside Look at 'The Lonesome Crowded West'". Vinyl Me, Please. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  25. "Explore Sleater-Kinney's Dig Me Out (in 5 Minutes)". Pitchfork. June 25, 2018. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  26. "All Hands on the Bad One - Sleater-Kinney". AllMusic. May 2, 2000. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  27. Fink, Matt (August 15, 2023). "Death Cab for Cutie on "The Photo Album"". Under the Radar Magazine. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  28. "Carissa's Wierd – Songs About Leaving (2010, Light Green, Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  29. Cramer, Stephen (April 23, 2002). "Hot Hot Heat - Knock Knock Knock Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  30. "The Long Winters – The Worst You Can Do Is Harm (2006, Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  31. Wasoba, Ryan (November 20, 2013). "Death Cab For Cutie gutarist/producer Chris Walla reflects on 'Transatlanticism'". Alternative Press Magazine. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  32. DeVille, Chris (February 17, 2023). "The Postal Service's 'Give Up' Turns 20". Stereogum. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  33. "The Thermals – More Parts Per Million (2003, Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  34. "The Decemberists – Picaresque (2021, Tiger's Eye Vinyl, Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  35. Wilson, MacKenzie. "Nada Surf - The Weight Is a Gift Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  36. Grandpa, Great (July 7, 2017). "Plastic Cough, by Great Grandpa". Great Grandpa. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  37. Bayer, Jonah (January 11, 2017). "Minus The Bear Share First Song from 'VOIDS,' Their First Album in Five Years". VICE. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  38. Grandpa, Great (October 25, 2019). "Four of Arrows, by Great Grandpa". Great Grandpa. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  39. "Pedro the Lion announce first album in 15 years, Phoenix, share "Yellow Bike": Stream". Consequence. October 30, 2018. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  40. Yeung, Neil Z. (October 16, 2020). "Deep Sea Diver - Impossible Weight Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  41. "Kississippi – Mood Ring (2021, Red Translucent, Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved August 15, 2023.

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47°39′30″N 122°21′50″W

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